Tribute to Valerie Glynnis
“The measure of a life is not in its duration but in its donation” Corrie Ten Boom
Valerie - qualities that exude from her: welcoming, persevering, creativity, strong professional work ethic, A heart of thanksgiving, honest, trustworthy, good friend, woman of God.
Valerie was my senior in college (Mico College). In those days you never really spoke to your seniors unless you really knew them. So we didn’t interact much on campus. I, however, learned we had one thing in common, we were from the same Church of God of Prophecy. Valerie from the Annotto Bay church and I from Maxfield Avenue, in Kingston. Somehow we were introduced to each other by Gladys Thomas (Tommy) from the Point Hill, Prophecy Church in St. Catherine. We resided in the ladies hostel back then on Trevenion Rd.
I recall a spiritual experience that changed Valerie’s life when we were in college. Students attended a secular concert one Saturday evening, then we all returned to the hostel and retired for the night. Later that night, Valerie woke up like a storm in the dorm from the top bunk bed speaking in unknown tongues loudly (you can imagine the commotion). Now imagine a number of us in our early late 20ies trying to analyze “the experience”. In our “church world” at that time, for such an experience to happen, you would expect to be in what is called a “tarrying service” or a prayer meeting for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. (None of that). I remembered Valerie saying, “I didn’t have anything spiritual on my mind, before I went to bed, I wasn’t thinking about anything”. Can you imagine the shock in the hostel, because many people didn’t understand what was happening. She was a marked woman from then, because that happened in public, outside of church (Christians and non-christians were there). I am sure that as word got around, students watched how she lived on campus after that. For me the message was that the Holy Spirit does what he has to do anytime He wants.
We left college and went our separate ways. A few years later, Valerie joined the Kemps Hill Secondary School staff in Vere, Clarendon, where I was already teaching. We shared a flat on the school premises which deepened our relationship.
Valerie, Eileen Marshall and myself spent many nights making booklets and other materials for our struggling readers. Here, Valerie's creativity stood out in the kind of content that was produced, as she thought of each student’s needs and we could support them, especially because the struggling readers were mainly boys. If we had a function to attend, we three, would spend nights creating styles and making dresses. We had so much fun living on the school campus at Kemps Hill. Valerie was quite the horticulturist. She made the surroundings so beautiful by planting lovely flowers around the flat. She actually talked to plants but she wasn’t crazy. The plants seemed to take a liking to her voice and nurturing care. The flowers thrived.
When I introduced my soon to be husband, Owen, to Valerie, she was so welcoming. She never saw him as a threat to our relationship and so our friendship circle widened, with Owen.
Valerie never forgot birthdays or anniversaries. If the phone rang early in the morning on the birthday or the anniversary it was usually Valerie on the other end of the line.
We have a 40 year old joke about a white handkerchief. You see, Valerie was the Maid Of Honour at our wedding. She bought this special handkerchief just in case, I had a tear in my eye or if I was sweating to mop my brows and to keep me calm at the wedding. Low and behold, Valerie was the one sweating profusely and needed the handkerchief. We have laughed about that situation for 40 years, although, in the 40th year she couldn’t find the handkerchief (that was mainly because she wasn’t in much control of things in her surroundings anymore). She said, “Del, I can’t tell where the handkerchief is”, but we just laughed it off.
Valerie dear, you won’t need that handkerchief any more. You're with the Saviour now and you won’t be sweating or having tears. The Saviour we talked about has you in His arms.
Valerie, Owen and myself spent many days talking over the phone about the goodness of God and how he charted our paths. She trusted the Lord with everything she knew. She was an avid worshipper and shared devotional thoughts with us regularly. The last time I spoke with Valerie, she had a different voice and she said “Del, I can only give you two minutes.” Of course, we talked for about four minutes but she was the one who wanted to talk (to express how she felt and what the doctors were doing). We ended up blessing each other and as usual talking about the goodness of the Lord. Valerie was really tired.
In all of her illness, Valerie never complained but was alway grateful for being allowed to live yet another day. She used her illness as a platform to praise God and to make Christ known to others. Valerie spent her influence well as a classroom teacher, librarian, friend, family member. She didn’t waste it.
Valerie dear, you are home at last, we will miss you but we have many precious memories.
She now can confirm her song
I am in Canaan's land, where the soul of man never dies
My darkest night has turned to day, where the soul of man never dies
I am in that place where there is no sad farewell, no tear dimmed eyes, where all His deeds, His joy and love and the soul of man never dies.
I have received her rose that was blooming there for me where the soul of man never dies
And I shall live eternally where the soul of man never dies
There is no sad farewell, there is no tear dimmed eyes
Where all His deeds, His joy and love and the soul of man never dies
To the Family
To Sharmayne, Pauline, Rolstan, George, Courtney, Niece and nephews, Valerie loved you. She talked about you. I have a void inside of me, and yet I can’t imagine your void. But take heart in this, that Valerie is one saint that has gone home and I join with the writer of Psalm 116:15 who penned “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants” NIV. Be comforted. He (the Lord) has given you beauty for ashes, the oil of Joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that you might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. (Isaiah 61: 3)
My family prays for your Comfort - From Owen & Del Walters, Earldene, Hillaire and Kirk
Do accept our condolence